August endings

This month feels like it has just flown by. Busy days, and for the most part, beautiful ones. We have had our share of the hot-and-humids, however, and I think this may have been part of the catalyst for the Coccidiosis outbreak in two of the baby goats.

I am always on the watch for things like this, but we have not had any cocci episodes here since we had lambs, a few years ago now. It also usually hits us when we are having a very wet spring and summer. As we are in a pretty extreme drought, it kind of surprised me.

But the really humid and hot weather is very stressful on the goats, particularly the young ones. Our Fergus was the first to turn into Mr. PoopyPants, and then within a day or two the white buckling started. We got the sulpha powder mixed up and going pretty quickly, but it’s a rough ride, even when the diarrhea stops within a day. Sulpha drugs are hard on anyone, and when you are only 20 or 25 lbs., it’s not so nice. We are doing vitamins as well, and they seem to be responding.

The last load. Not even a big one!

And as it is August, it is haytime. We have a very lovely hay dealer who keeps our hay and we can go and get it when we need it, but that is for the first cutting bales. A good friend of ours recently decided to cut his really nice hay field for a second cutting. His neighbor does a first cut, but for some reason isn’t interested in doing a second. I was definitely interested, and today was the day we had to pick it up in the field. It was great to see Matt, and he even played farm boy for the day and helped us transport the goods. Nice to see our second greenhouse having such a nice collection of bales going into the winter.

The crickets seem to agree. I love going to sleep by their singing. Reminds me of childhood vacations on Cape Cod with my cousins!